Logical Writing in IELTS Writing Task Two (8 of 10)

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Logical Writing in IELTS Writing Task Two (8 of 10)

Well, here we go with the next of the IELTS ‘logic’ posts. Remember, in IELTS essays, one of the biggest problems is a lack of logical thinking, especially if you memorise material from the many IELTS ‘magic books’ out there.

Always remember, IELTS Task-Two essays require a detailed and coherent argument. It must make sense! You need to have the ability to know what makes sense and what does not. Here are five more sentences, but each one has a logic issue. Can you see what it is?

Try to work out the logic problems with the following sentences.

  1. It has become common for people not to marry, especially in modern society.
  2. It is obvious that people may need more money.
  3. People who are willing to kill want to have guns.
  4. We need to legislate to control the smoke.
  5. Raising the price of cigarettes will reduce the desire to smoke.

The answers will be given in the next ‘logic’ post.

Answers to Logic (7 of 10)

  1. ‘Abolishing’ something happens in one short moment, and it happens once only. It can’t ‘keep happening’.
  2. The first part is okay. But ‘affect behaviour’ is too general and unspecific to be able to draw a conclusion using ‘thus’. The first part needs to be far more specific – for example, ‘Guns make people feel very powerful’, and even then, the ‘thus’ part has to be less certain – for example, ‘thus, those who are more impressionable may use them to commit crimes.’
  3. ‘Reduce smokers’? Obviously the word must be ‘smoking’.
  4. The adverb ‘absolutely’ is used too intensify, or make a statement stronger. It is used when such intensification is needed – because some people might disagree. “He’s absolutely wrong!” “The movie was absolutely terrible!” But could you say … “1 and 1 absolutely equals 2.” No, because it is a fact. So too is the irreversible nature of killing someone.
  5. How can you prepare a will after you have died? Hmmmm. The sentence could be written… ‘… prepare their will for after death.’
logical writing in ielts writing task two 8 of 10